


Finally Talking

by justcallmeradio



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Nightmares, Post-Tartarus (Percy Jackson)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:15:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25813405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justcallmeradio/pseuds/justcallmeradio
Summary: After having a nightmare, Nico looks for Will. Instead, he finds Percy and Annabeth, and they finally talk about Tartarus and Nico’s crush.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase & Nico di Angelo, Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo & Percy Jackson
Kudos: 32





	Finally Talking

Will was standing in front of me, in a field of dandelions. His blond hair was blowing in the warm breeze, his skin was practically glowing in the sun, and he was smiling, bright and warm, at me. I smiled back, small, but it made his eyes glow. My heart fluttered as I stepped towards him.

“Hey Nico,” he said, and I immediately froze. Will’s voice wasn’t his. It was raw and low, eerily familiar. Wills eyes started to turn black. His smile turned cruel. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

I stumbled backwards, trying to get away from the awful noise and the sick, twisted look on his face.

“Take him back,” Will’s distorted voice boomed.

Hands the size of my head wrapped around my upper arm and yanked me back, but I couldn’t see where they came from. I thrashed in their grip, managing to slip out of my jacket. I made a break for it, but the hands grabbed me by the hair, and I could feel it was over. 

I was turned around. Will was right in front of me now, black eyes locked on mine, but more importantly, a pit was now at his feet. I didn’t need to look down to know what it lead to, I could feel it. Tartarus. 

What ever it was behind me dragged me closer, until my feet left the ground and I was suspended over the pit. My heart was pounding. Pure panic took over. Not again. Not again. 

“Goodbye Nico.”

The painful grip on my hair disappeared, and I was falling, and falling and-

I woke with a start, sword drawn in front of me, the sound of blood rushing in my ears, but the room was completely still. 

I lowered my sword, not letting go, as I caught my breath. 

“Just a dream,” I whispered.

I closed my eyes, flopping back onto my bed. Images of the pit flashed in the back of my mind. The feeling of being surrounded, in enemy territory, breathing toxic air, feeling my life drain-

I opened my eyes again and slipped out of bed. It was still dark in the camp, as it always was in the Hades cabin, but the sky outside was starting to lighten up. I glanced over to the curtain that hid Hazels bed. I know she wouldn’t be mad if I woke her now, but... I thought of someone else who might be awake at this time. Someone more of a moment person than I am. 

My hands were shaking as I pulled on my jacket and slipped out the door. Knowing Will, he would probably be in the infirmary already, looking after the half bloods who still hadn’t recovered from the battle with Gaea. 

I jumped behind a pillar. Percy and Annabeth were the last people I thought I would run into. Hades, they were the people I least wanted to run into. I started to slip away in the dire rod the big house, but then...

I looked back, and it became clear the two of them weren’t cuddling. Annabeth was holding Percy’s head to her chest and rubbing his back, whispering something I couldn’t hear. Percy shook in her arms, and every few seconds he took a gasping breath as if he couldn’t breathe. I took me a minute to piece together that was happening. Percy, the hero of Olympus, was crying?

For a minute, I was frozen in my spot, mesmerized my the scene in front of me. I don’t think I had never seen Percy cry. He was supposed to be unbreakable. His first her clenched around the back of Annabeth’s shirt, as if he couldn’t hold on hard enough. She didn’t seemed unnerved, it was as if this happened all the time.

I snapped back into reality as Annabeth looked up and her eyes met mine. She waved me over, but I didn’t move. This felt like intruding. After everything I had done to Percy, he shouldn’t want me near him. I lied to him in New Rome, I couldn’t save him from falling into Tartarus. But then Percy was sitting up, and he turned towards me. His eyes looked empty, hollow, but he smiled and waved.

To late to shadow travel away now. I stepped fully out behind the pillar and waved awkwardly. Did he realize I was watching him?

“Sorry,” I murmured, “I didn’t mean to-“

“It’s fine,” Annabeth said, “come sit with us.” I reluctantly sat down next to her. Immediately I felt 10 again. I was small next to Percy and Annabeth still. Tentatively, I leaned forward and glanced at Percy. He didn’t see me, his eyes were locked on the sun rise off in the distance. Percy didn’t look like he had been crying, he looked... well, perfect. Like the hero he was supposed to be.

“So how have you been doing, Nico?” Annabeth asked, pulling my attention away from Percy.

“Oh, um.. you know...” Terrible was the true answer. “I’ve been fine.”

Annabeth nodded, and was silent a minute before responding. “It must have been really hard going though Tartarus alone. Percy and I barely made it o of there.”

I could see Percy physically tense when Annabeth was talking. His jaw got tight. His eyes turned stormy.

“Yeah I guess it was.” I could feel Annabeth looking down at me. I hadn’t even talked about Tartarus to anyone. No one would understand... except these two. I took a deep breath. “I still get nightmares.”

“Me too,” she said.

“I just felt like I would be stuck there forever, you know? And now I’m terrified I’ll end up down there again. It’s like time is just ticking down until something finds me and sends me back.” 

The words all came out in one breath, fast and strung together, but when I finished I felt a weight lift off of my shoulders. Annabeth wrapped her arm around me, and I forced myself not to move. 

“No one is going to let you go back there,” Annabeth said with so much force, I believed her. I looked over to Percy again, but he hadn’t moved.

“Things will be easier in time,” she continued, “It’s behind us now.”

I nodded, but it didn’t feel behind me. 

We all sat there for a few more minutes in silence, until the sun had fully risen. Annabeth squeezed me, then stood up. This finally grabbed Percy’s attention. He snapped out of his trance, reaching up for her hand.

“I’m going to go get some food, I’ll bring some back for you, Perc.”

Annabeth turned and ran up the hill, leaving me alone with Percy. I looked over, thinking of excuses to get out of this situation, and then I saw Percy, legs curled up to his chest, head ducked in his arms. I thought of him crying in Annabeth’s arms, his whole body shaking, stained sobs escaping his mouth. We didn’t have the best relationship, but I couldn’t leave him.. right?

“Are you alright?”

Percy nodded, but didn’t look up. I tried again though.

“Look I know things have been... um, weird,” I winced thinking about how I told him he wasn’t my type a few days ago. “You can talk to me, though.”

He looked up, and just stared at me. I could see tears being held back in his eyes. I wish I knew when was going on in his head.

“I know,” he mumbled. “It’s just hard to talk about. Things have been different since- since I was there.”

Percy ran his and through his hair, and forced on a smile. He seemed to do that a lot these days, or maybe he always did, and I was too young to notice. Back then I hero worshipped him. I thought I was in love with him, but this isn’t the guy I had a crush on. I’m starting to realize that guy doesn’t exist. 

He sat up a little, rubbing his hands over his face, trying to discreetly wipe the tears from his eye. I could see the SPQR tattoo that was forever part of his skin now, and I felt a wave of guilt roll over me.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you!” I blurted out. Percy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. “In New Rome, when I knew who you were. I should have told you everything.”

Percy sighed, looking at his tattoo as well.  
“It’s okay, you did the right thing.”

“You wouldn’t have done it,” I said, and I knew it was true. Percy would have done anything for a friend. I betrayed him.

“Maybe not, but I have a talent for pissing off the gods.” I almost laughed, as I had seen this firsthand. “Besides, if you told me who I was, the romans would have killed me, and world would have probably ended.”

“I guess you have a point there.”

“Really though, I got back home, it’s all good,” Percy said. 

The breakfast horn sounded, and we both turned around towards the noise, but neither of us moved.

“Anyways,” Percy continued, “How’s Will?”

“Wait, what?” I stuttered, taken aback by the abrupt change of topic. How does he know about that?

Percy laughed. “Relax dude, some people around camp saw you two talking. Everyone kinda knows at this point.”

I could feel my face get red. I was surprised he cared. “Oh, well... I guess we are kinda dating... I think. I was going over to see him when I ran into you two.”

“He’s a good guy. You two are nice together.”

Yeah,” I said, unable to stop the smile from growing across my face at the thought of him. “I know.”

“Go find him at breakfast, I’m sure he is looking for you.”

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Yeah,” he said, “I’m gonna hang out here a little longer.”

I smiled as stood up. I looked down at Percy, and he smiled back. There was no more tension between us, not secrets, no resentment. 

“That offer still stands, you know. If you need to-“

“Me too,” Percy interrupted. “You can talk to me too.”

I turned away and ran up the hill, but for the first time, I felt like we were actually real friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t really stick to the prompt that well oops. Sorry this took so long I look a bit of a break from writing after I wrote 80% of this but I’m back now! Sorry if it’s shit, but it’s 3 am and I can’t be bothered to proof read. Anyways kudos are very much appreciated if you liked it also comments and more requests. THANK YOU FOR READING!!!!  
> <3
> 
> (Also if you made a request before I will get to it, but like fast this time haha)

**Author's Note:**

> This is dedicated to the SAT prep I should be doing
> 
> *edit: many months later, I have not started my sat prep*


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